Indi MP Helen Haines seeks money for Albury Wodonga Health project

In an address to parliament this week, Helen Haines spruiked a plan put by Albury Wodonga Health to set up a Collaborative Education and Research Centre.

"The collaborative centre will be co-located at the new hospital in Albury currently under development with NSW and Victorian government funding," Dr Haines said.

"This centre will be a purpose-built facility which brings together clinical practice, research, education and training.

"It will pool resources for regional health research.

"It will enhance our cross-border data collection and analysis.

"It will invest in our mid-career health professionals so they stay in our region."

In addition to Albury Wodonga Health, the proposal is also the brainchild of Border TAFEs and Charles Sturt, La Trobe and NSW universities and may involve the Army's school of health.

It evolved during consultation on the Albury-Wodonga Regional Deal.

That deal saw the federal government provide $20 million for projects that would be guided by Albury Wodonga Health and/or a cross border health taskforce.

Dr Haines now wants the Commonwealth to provide $250,000 to investigate what should occur next in planning for the centre.

"If this government says it wants to address the health workforce shortage, this is how," she said.

"Provide $250,000 as the first step on a project that could provide the tools to educate, train and retain our own at home."

Dr Haines has written to Health Minister Mark Butler, Education Minister Jason Clare, Regional Development Minister Catherine King and Assistant Rural and Regional Minister Emma McBride in seeking funding.

"So far the government response to this funding request have (sic) skated around the ask - referencing existing training opportunities, and restating their commitment to 'increasing the supply of health professionals around Australia'," she said.

Dr Haines has also had meetings with Mr Butler and Mr Clare to discuss the project, but has not had any written responses from the ministers.

Her speech this week follows a similar address to parliament in June, where she noted she had been briefed on the plan in May.

Referencing her previous work, Dr Haines said: "At the University of Melbourne School of Rural Health, we pioneered this model, and I want to see this grow and develop on the Border."

Fellow federal MP Sussan Ley is also supportive of the concept, noting an education component had been part of Regional Deal health discussions.

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